Court order requires Harvard to provide past application information

Earlier today, Harvard University sent an email to past applicants notifying them that their application information will be distributed in compliance with a court order. Harvard is currently defending against a federal lawsuit brought forth by Students For Fair Admissions, Inc., which calls the college's undergraduate admissions process into question.

The SFFA will be provided with application information for those who applied to be first-year undergraduates or transfer students between the fall of 2009 and the spring of 2015, the email stated. This includes academic, demographic and extracurricular information, as well as unspecified, additional information. The applicant's name and Social Security number will not be provided.

Harvard's email maintains that all information is still subject to strict confidentiality rules and can only be distributed to SFFA's attorneys. Further distribution will require additional approval from the court. The court must also grant approval before the SFFA can attempt to identify or contact any applicants.

You can read the email by clicking above and click on the provided FAQ link for further information regarding the lawsuit.